Replaced iPhone4 battery. Now randomly restarts and battery % broken!

My wife's iPhone4 (AT&T) battery was draining very quickly so we bought a replacement through iFixIt.com. I followed the steps exactly, and thought I had performed the upgrade perfectly. Now we are running into issues.

First off, the battery % indicator doesn't seem to increase when on the charger. For example, my wife had 55% battery power when she went to sleep and put the phone on the charger. When she woke up, still 55%. She restarted the phone, which then dropped the battery level to 22% (even though it had been on the charger all night).

Now the phone is randomly restarting by going black, then immediately to the startup screen (white Apple logo). It restarts very often.

Obviously something is very wrong. Could it be that the battery we received was a lemon? I had no trouble with the installation. The phone does make and receive calls, when it's not randomly restarting.

I reinstalled the old "quick to drain" battery, and the problems stopped. The phone no longer randomly restarts, and the battery indicator level (%) does increase while being charged. It's looking like the new battery itself is the issue.

I have the same problem. The phone (iPhone 4) randomly restarts and when it comes back on, it reads a very low battery percentage but then will jump back up to where it was before the random reboot. The random reboot happens about 6 to 10 times a day. It's pretty annoying.

this is same issue am having with my iphone 4s now,after the replacement battery i charged it all night but would not go beyond 75% i decided to use it up to 6 hours without draining or reducing but shut down all of a sudden, and wen put on charge,it would power on with the apple logo and shut down again and repeating that on and off, please help i cant do without my phone please!

15 Answers

the new battery is not the original one . i already faced this problem . i have changed the battery on iphone4 with the cheap market. after installing battery phone not charging the battery as same as remained charged. battery percentage is not increasing . but after changing the battery again with the original problem solved. the original battery i pulled form working phone. just change the battery. it will solve your also problem.

Well my problem is that I bought the replacement battery from ifixit.com. So far, the phone has worked all day with the original battery in it (though it does drain quickly). I think ifixit.com is going to have to replace the lemon they shipped me.

Actually if you just let the brand new battery charge to 100% then remain powered down on the charger for 4-6 hours it will normalize the battery. That is how you charge a battery that has never been charged.

I had the EXACT same symptoms. Battery indicator not working, random restarting. I tried a cold reboot of the phone and several other things above... no change.

But I knew the grounding plate was the issue since I hadn't followed the step-by-step instructions exactly with regard to that small but crucial part. I hadn't noted its "correct orientation" first. (big oops) So I guessed ... and got it wrong.

Fix -

1. Reopen the case.

2. Find / Google a photo of the correct position of grounding plate - (The best pic for me was here on iFix It!)

3. Change the orientation. Make sure that little bare part the juts upwards is going up onto a bare part of the back plate of the iPhone (where it should touch when reassembled correctly) I gently bent that part up that is supposed to stuck up just a tiny bit more to be certain.

4. Reboot phone and done.

Now it works just fine. So.. it's not a 'bad battery.'

Since the trade-in for the phone is currently only $45 it makes more sense to keep it as a backup or as an iTouch.

Yep, it looks like it was my problem as well: be careful! there are two kinds of screws inside: 3 tiny, and 3 very tiny! the very tiny ones are the ones that cover the battery cable. don´t mix them! Don´t ingest them!

Before you go and start huffing and puffing about the bad batteries make sure you have some settings disabled first! :P

WiFi - This is the No.1 cause of minimal battery life. A lot of people leave this bad boy on when they aren't even using it, or they don't even realise it is on in the first place. The common mistake people make with this is they presume the WiFi is off when it says

"Not Connected"

WRONG

That purely means it is not connected to a wifi router, it does not mean it is physically turned OFF. It still in fact runs at full battery draining capacity because it is constantly searching for new/old networks to connect to.

To solve this issue, make sure this setting is switched to

"OFF"

NOTE - After you update/restore your iPhone, the default factory settings are enabled and good old WiFi is enabled again. Also try to only use WiFi where there are power supplies to recharge your iPhone with.

Bluetooth - Make sure this sucker is disabled as well. Unless you are in your car using it for handsfree or at home using it for music, KEEP IT OFF.

I also had the same problem. My phone keeps on restarting even when the charger is plugged. I also noticed that the battery percentage is stuck and no longer displays the correct value. I was searching the internet for a solution but all were saying to replace the battery or reset the phone. I already tried resetting the phone but it didn't work.

Out of frustration, i was just ranting to my friends that my iphone is breaking down. Then one of them suggested to turn off the battery percentage display. This seems to have solved my problem. My phone is no longer restarting and I didn't have to replace the battery.

Give it a try first before replacing the battery or replacing your phone. Might save you some money.

Goodness, I can't believe this worked. I just had a new battery put in because of this same issue of shutting off randomly. I work overseas so couldn't get it back to the person that changed it since it didn't start doing it again until I departed the US. Now instead of it randomly shutting off once in a while this past couple of days it does it repeatedly sometimes right in the middle of sending a text...Uggg.

I don't have any clue how to check the battery nor would I have tried messing with it so I thought what the heck let me try this. It rebooted itself once, where it has been constantly rebooting in past days and that has been the end of it. THANK YOU for this life saver. My phone is my only way for contact with the family from where I am.

After I installed the new battery I turned it on. Then I held the sleep button and home button at the same time. I ignored the slide to turn off. Continued to hold it till the apple logo reappeared (took about a minute). This is performs the function of a reset which is not the same as just turning it off and back on.

No, I did not order a battery elsewhere. Didn't want to waste any more time on the subject, and by that point in time we had resoled ourselves to using it as plugged in ipod and got a new phone instead.

Though, thinking back at it, I think the third battery was fine, but the issue was that the phone would not do iOS software updates, something in the process where it complained about not original components. Which is when iFixit support called it quits too. Probably some little part number that didn't match with what it came with from the factory. Installed the old battery, updated fine. I don't remember at this point if I then opened the phone up again to reinstall the last ifixit battery.

So part matching is critically important. But, some of the replacement parts / batteries have been sitting on the shelf at iFixit for a while. I would need to check my mail logs to see what all I ran into.

Hey everyone, what I found was that my phone was doing the same things. I took the back off, examined the battery, plugged in the charger and the phone turned on fine. Everytime I tried to put the cover plate on the phone it would shut off. After looking closely, I noticed a tiny nick in the black rubberized insulation on the connector from the battery to where it connects to the phone. I covered it with a tiny piece of electrical tape, closed the phone back up and no problems at all. Yes electrical tape meet iphone. Now for my paperclip trick.

I got a higher capacity battery and had the problem the same as everyone here. I could only see my phone working as long as i was plugged in as soon as i pulled the plug my phone would turn off. Well I plugged it in and went to settings, general, and press reset all. The problem went away and now I have a 2600mA battery instead of the 1400mA original. I also added an external case,battery with an aditional 2000mA I now I don't need to recharge for about two or three days. Hope this helps.

When it happened to me I was sure it was the battery or the fact that I changed it. But I did the exact same thing to my wife's iphone and hers worked perfect. So I kept digging and I found out that the soldering broke loose on the battery connection. Exactly where the battery plug connects that connection onto the board was bad for me. They charge $30 more or less on e-bay. Some sellers offer services on iphones and I found one that does specifically the battery connection. I got mine fixed good luck.

This is the answer guys, had the same problem, realized it was cause the battery had never ever been charged. Plug in the phone turn it off let it charge for at least 8-12 hours off till it charges all the way to 100% and then remains off and charging for an additional 6 hours. Now you will have a perfectly functioning phone.

After I put in the new battery, it kept recycling. I reattached the old battery and it stopped restarting. It was a defective battery. I was sent a new battery and it worked fine. Putting in the old battery as a test is very informative.

Hi! So the same things were happening with my iPhone 5 battery. But there's another thing as well. The battery would just completely either die or it would turn off and id have to re start the phone. I hope you understand the difference. So I changed the battery and it's all better, i don't have to charge it as often as before. BUT , it's still just going off if my phone is not being used!! PLEASE HELP!!!

After i changed the battery to my iphone 4 with the new one it came to restart every time, when the phone loads the home screen. After that i replace the new one with the old and it was making the same.

The solution that works was: with the new battery attached, i made the DFU procedure and after that everything was OK.

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This year, New York could be the first state in the nation to pass the Fair Repair Act,
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It’s not going to be easy. Manufacturers are standing in the
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So far, they’ve managed to stop Fair Repair legislation before your
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The Fair Repair Act, known as
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H.143
and S.96,
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for permission to fix it when it breaks. The Fair Repair Act, or LB 67,
is simple. It requires manufacturers to provide owners and independent
repair businesses with fair access to service information and replacement
parts. So you can fix the stuff you own quickly—and get back on with your
life.

But manufacturers don’t like that idea. When
your tractor breaks or your cell phone stops working, they want to be the
only people who can fix it. And they get to set whatever prices they want
for parts and service.

It’s time to fight for your right to repair and defend local repair jobs—the
corner mom-and-pop repair shops that keep getting squeezed out. Find
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Dear Minnesotans,

Minnesota has a chance to become the first state in the nation to pass
"Fair Repair" legislation. SF 15, or the Fair Repair bill, guarantees our
right to repair digital equipment like computers, refrigerators, cell phones
and tractors. It requires manufacturers to provide owners and independent
repair shops with access to repair information and replacement parts—so you
have the resources you need to fix things quickly and affordably.

But we need your help. Manufacturers don’t want a Fair Repair bill. When
your tractor breaks or your cell phone stops working, they want to be the
only people who can fix it. And they get to set whatever prices they want.

Find out who represents you in Minnesota's legislatures. Tell them that
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Dear Kansans,

Kansas has a chance to become the first state in the nation to pass
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have the resources you need to fix things quickly and affordably.

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your tractor breaks or your cell phone stops working, they want to be the
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Dear Wyomingites,

Wyoming has a chance to become the first state in the nation to pass
"Fair Repair" legislation. HB 199, or the Fair Repair Act, guarantees our
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and tractors. It requires manufacturers to provide owners and independent
repair shops with access to repair information and replacement parts—so you
have the resources you need to fix things quickly and affordably.

But we need your help. Manufacturers don’t want a Fair Repair bill. When
your tractor breaks or your cell phone stops working, they want to be the
only people who can fix it. And they get to set whatever prices they want.

Find out who represents you in Wyoming's legislature. Tell them that
you want the right to repair your purchases. Tell them you support a
bipartisan bill. Tell them repair is good for farmers, good for consumers, and good for businesses.

It's time to speak out for your right to repair

Dear Washingtonians,

Washington has a chance to become the first state in the nation to pass
"Fair Repair" legislation. The Fair Repair Act guarantees our
right to repair digital equipment like computers, refrigerators, cell phones
and tractors. It requires manufacturers to provide owners and independent
repair shops with access to repair information and replacement parts—so you
have the resources you need to fix things quickly and affordably.

But we need your help. Manufacturers don’t want a Fair Repair bill. When
your tractor breaks or your cell phone stops working, they want to be the
only people who can fix it. And they get to set whatever prices they want.

Find out who represents you in Washington's legislature. Tell them that
you want the right to repair your purchases. Tell them you support a
bipartisan bill. Tell them repair is good for farmers, good for consumers, and good for businesses.

It's time to speak out for your right to repair

Tennessee,

This year, the people of Tennessee have a chance to guarantee their
right to repair their equipment—like tractors, farm equipment, digital
equipment, and even cell phones.

It's yours. You own it. You shouldn't have to beg the manufacturer
for permission to fix it when it breaks. The Fair Repair Act is simple.
It requires manufacturers to provide owners and independent repair
businesses with fair access to service information and affordable replacement
parts. So you can fix the stuff you own quickly—and get on with your life.

But manufacturers don't like that idea. When your tractor breaks or
your cell phone stops working, they want to be the only people who can
fix it. And they get to set whatever prices they want for parts and
service.

It's time to fight for your right to repair and defend local repair
jobs—the corner mom-and-pop repair shops that keep getting squeezed out.
Find out who represents you in the Tennessee General Assembly. Tell
them you support the Fair Repair Act, SB 888 in the Senate
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Illinois,

This year, the people of Illinois have a chance to guarantee their
right to repair their equipment—like tractors, farm equipment, digital
equipment, and even cell phones.

It's yours. You own it. You shouldn't have to beg the manufacturer
for permission to fix it when it breaks. The Digital Fair Repair Act is simple.
It requires manufacturers to provide owners and independent repair
businesses with fair access to service information and affordable replacement
parts. So you can fix the stuff you own quickly—and get on with your life.

But manufacturers don't like that idea. When your tractor breaks or
your cell phone stops working, they want to be the only people who can
fix it. And they get to set whatever prices they want for parts and
service.

It's time to fight for your right to repair and defend local repair
jobs—the corner mom-and-pop repair shops that keep getting squeezed
out. Find out who represents you in the Illinois General Assembly. Tell
them you support the Digital Fair Repair Act, HB3030.
Tell them that you believe repair should be fair, affordable, and
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It's time to speak out for your right to repair

Iowa,

This year, the people of Iowa have a chance to guarantee their
right to repair their equipment—like tractors, farm equipment, digital
equipment, and even cell phones.

It's yours. You own it. You shouldn't have to beg the manufacturer
for permission to fix it when it breaks. Iowa's Right to Repair Act, HF556, is simple.
It requires manufacturers to provide owners and independent repair
businesses with fair access to service information and affordable replacement
parts. So you can fix the stuff you own quickly—and get on with your life.

But manufacturers like John Deere and Apple don't like that idea. When your tractor breaks or
your cell phone stops working, they want to be the only people who can
fix it. And they get to set whatever prices they want for parts and
service.

It's time to fight for your right to repair and defend local repair
jobs—the corner mom-and-pop repair shops that keep getting squeezed
out. Find out who represents you in the Iowa legislature. Tell
them you support the Right to Repair Act, HF556.
Tell them that you believe repair should be fair, affordable, and
accessible. Stand up for the right to repair in Iowa.

It's time to speak out for your right to repair

North Carolina,

This year, the people of North Carolina have a chance to guarantee their
right to repair their equipment—like tractors, farm equipment, digital
equipment, and even cell phones.

It's yours. You own it. You shouldn't have to beg the manufacturer
for permission to fix it when it breaks. North Carolina's Fair Repair Act, H. 663, is simple.
It requires manufacturers to provide owners and independent repair
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parts. So you can fix the stuff you own quickly—and get on with your life.

But manufacturers like John Deere and Apple don't like that idea. When your tractor breaks or
your cell phone stops working, they want to be the only people who can
fix it. And they get to set whatever prices they want for parts and
service.

It's time to fight for your right to repair and defend local repair
jobs—the corner mom-and-pop repair shops that keep getting squeezed
out. Find out who represents you in the North Carolina legislature. Tell
them you support the Fair Repair Act, H. 663.
Tell them that you believe repair should be fair, affordable, and
accessible. Stand up for the right to repair in North Carolina.

It's time to speak out for your right to repair

Missouri,

This year, the people of Missouri have a chance to guarantee their
right to repair their equipment—like tractors, farm equipment, digital
equipment, and even cell phones.

It's yours. You own it. You shouldn't have to beg the manufacturer
for permission to fix it when it breaks. Missouri's Fair Repair Act, HB1178, is simple.
It requires manufacturers to provide owners and independent repair
businesses with fair access to service information and affordable replacement
parts. So you can fix the stuff you own quickly—and get on with your life.

But manufacturers like John Deere and Apple don't like that idea. When your tractor breaks or
your cell phone stops working, they want to be the only people who can
fix it. And they get to set whatever prices they want for parts and
service.

It's time to fight for your right to repair and defend local repair
jobs—the corner mom-and-pop repair shops that keep getting squeezed
out. Find out who represents you in the Missouri legislature. Tell
them you support the Fair Repair Act, HB1178.
Tell them that you believe repair should be fair, affordable, and
accessible. Stand up for the right to repair in Missouri.

It's time to speak out for your right to repair

New Hampshire,

This year, the people of New Hampshire have a chance to guarantee their
right to repair their equipment—like tractors, farm equipment, digital
equipment, and even cell phones.

It's yours. You own it. You shouldn't have to beg the manufacturer
for permission to fix it when it breaks. New Hampshire's upcoming Right to Repair Act is simple.
It requires manufacturers to provide owners and independent repair
businesses with fair access to service information and affordable replacement
parts. So you can fix the stuff you own quickly—and get on with your life.

But manufacturers like John Deere and Apple don't like that idea. When your tractor breaks or
your cell phone stops working, they want to be the only people who can
fix it. And they get to set whatever prices they want for parts and
service.

It's time to fight for your right to repair and defend local repair
jobs—the corner mom-and-pop repair shops that keep getting squeezed
out. Find out who represents you in the New Hampshire legislature. Tell
them you support the Right to Repair Act.
Tell them that you believe repair should be fair, affordable, and
accessible. Stand up for the right to repair in New Hampshire.

It's time to speak out for your right to repair

New Jersey,

This year, the people of New Jersey have a chance to guarantee their
right to repair their equipment—like tractors, farm equipment, digital
equipment, and even cell phones.

It's yours. You own it. You shouldn't have to beg the manufacturer
for permission to fix it when it breaks. New Jersey's upcoming Fair Repair Act, A4934 is simple.
It requires manufacturers to provide owners and independent repair
businesses with fair access to service information and affordable replacement
parts. So you can fix the stuff you own quickly—and get on with your life.

But manufacturers like John Deere and Apple don't like that idea. When your tractor breaks or
your cell phone stops working, they want to be the only people who can
fix it. And they get to set whatever prices they want for parts and
service.

It's time to fight for your right to repair and defend local repair
jobs—the corner mom-and-pop repair shops that keep getting squeezed
out. Find out who represents you in the New Jersey legislature. Tell
them you support the Fair Repair Act, A4934.
Tell them that you believe repair should be fair, affordable, and
accessible. Stand up for the right to repair in New Jersey.